Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns

These Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns are soft and delicious buns that make a perfect meal when paired with bhaji. Surprisingly easy to make!

Please excuse me for a verrrrrrrrrrrrry long post. Wondering what does Ladi pav means? Pav means bread and ladi means a chunk or block of dough stuck together hence meaning block of bread dough stuck or joined together. These are close to fabulous Mumbai ladi pavs that are easy to make and are light and fluffy with a good flavor and hearty texture. So consider yourself warned – Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns are hard to resist!!

My family has enjoyed homemade pavs for years now and I hope it becomes your family favorite too. Follow the step by step guide below to your very own homemade light and tender pavs. Tested and tried, eggless homemade Ladi Pav and Buns recipe.

Now, onto the recipe!

Begin the recipe by activating the yeast. Combine yeast with milk+water+sugar and let it stand for 10-15 minutes till it becomes thick, foamy and bubbly. This proofing procedure shows that yeast is alive and active. If your yeast fails this step please discard and start all over again. DO NOT proceed with the recipe.

Combine yeast+dry ingredients and knead a soft pliable dough. Once the dough is kneaded, cover and set it aside in a warm place to rise. The dough will double in size. Do the poke test – poke a finger in the dough and make a indent (or a small hole with your finger) in the dough. If the hole/indent remains and the dough doesn’t bounces back that means dough is ready for the next step.

Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and knead it for another 5- 10 minutes. This step is important for lighter pavs. Dough elasticity and gluten formation is enhanced by kneading.

Divide the dough in equal parts and shape them. Cover and let them rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will help them rise beautifully (picture above). The secret to soft and fluffy pavs lies in how well they have risen.

Bake Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns in a warm oven till they are evenly brown from top. If you prefer a little darker color, place them closer to the heating element for few seconds until the top gets darker.

Used the same recipe to make homemade BURGER BUNS. I placed the same dough in a baking sheet and baked the dough for 18 – 20 minutes. Brush homemade buns with butter and sprinkled white sesame seeds – soft and tender homemade buns are ready to eat.

Once you start making this recipe at home you will stop buying market buns – easiest and tastiest bun recipe ever!! These pavs will melt in your mouth and believe me they won’t last long around the dinner table – my family devoured these pavs in minutes. 🙂

PLEASE SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO SEE HOW TO MAKE PAV WITHOUT OVEN.

Please follow the exact recipe and step by step guide and you can’t go wrong on this one. This recipe has been tested and tried many times in my kitchen and every time its a winner. Three things to keep in mind for light fluffy pavs-

✔Well proofed yeast.

✔Dough doubled or tripled in size.

✔Second rise – pav rolls are well puffed.

✔Pavs will be slightly hard when out of the oven – but soft when pressed down. Apply butter and the top will become soft.

Please check out the questions and queries related to this post at the end of this recipe.

If you happen to make these yummy pavs, then do share your yum pictures with me @Facebook or drop me a line below!

These Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns are soft and delicious buns that make a perfect meal when paired with bhaji. Surprisingly easy to make!

Servings

Prep Time

12 - 16PAVS

3HOURS

Cook Time

15MINUTES

Servings

Prep Time

12 - 16PAVS

3HOURS

Cook Time

15MINUTES

Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns

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Rating: 4.02
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These Homemade Ladi Pav and Buns are soft and delicious buns that make a perfect meal when paired with bhaji. Surprisingly easy to make!

Servings

Prep Time

12 - 16PAVS

3HOURS

Cook Time

15MINUTES

Servings

Prep Time

12 - 16PAVS

3HOURS

Cook Time

15MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

PAV DOUGH

3cup or 375 gramsAll purpose flour or Wheat flour

1cup or 250 mlWater OR Milk (you may need some extra)(milk gives great results)

2-1/2tablespoon or 32 gramsButter + 2 tablespoon Oil

1-1/2teaspoon or 7 gramsSalt

1teaspoon or 5 gmsBaking powder

1tablespoon or 15 gramsButter for basting(optional)

1teaspoon or 5 gramsSesame seeds(if making buns)

YEAST PREPARATION

1packet or 7 grams or 11 mlActive dry yeast(2-1/4 teaspoon)

4teaspoon or 20 mlWater

3teaspoon or 15 mlMilk

2-1/2teaspoon or 12 gramsSugar

CHANGE SERVING SIZE: PAVS

CHANGE UNITS:

METHOD

GETTING THE YEAST READY

Assemble all the ingredients.

For few seconds warm up milk, 4 teaspoon water and sugar. This milk and water should be LUKEWARM and not warm. Take it off the flame and mix in yeast.

Whisk it well. Please check out the questions and queries related to this post at the end of this recipe.

Let it sit for 5- 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes it will look like a thick creamy paste.

In another 5 minutes it will become all foamy and bubbly (frothing may take longer for some). This proofing procedure shows that yeast is alive and active.

If the yeast is not foamy or bubbly as shown in the pic, please discard the yeast and start again. Do not continue with flat yeast as it will result in dense and sticky pav.

KNEADING THE DOUGH

In a bowl combine flour with salt and baking powder. Mix it well.

Slowly and gradually add water/milk....

Yeast should be frothy and doubled in size.

Add yeast..

See how thick the yeast is.

Combine flour and yeast together..

Mix in butter and oil.

Keep kneading the dough.

Knead the dough for at least 5-10 minutes.

Dough should be smooth.

Not sticky.

Transfer it to a bowl.

Bowl before rising time.

Cover the dough with a wet towel..

And set it in a warm place for at least 1- 2 hours.

The dough will double in size. (Mine was doubled in 1 hour but if it is not like this - as shown in pic. please keep it for another 30 minutes)

Dough should be like this all airy and puffed up.

Poke a finger in the dough and make a indent (or a small hole with your finger) in the dough. If the hole/indent remains and the dough doesn't bounces back that means dough is ready for the next step.

Remove the dough from the bowl, dust it with some flour and start kneading the dough.

This step is necessary – if the dough is not kneaded well, pav will turn out dense.

Dough elasticity and gluten formation is enhanced by kneading.

Well kneaded, smooth and rounded dough is ready.

ASSEMBLING PAV

Divide the dough in equal parts -12 PAVS.

Grease a baking pan. Please check out the questions and queries related to this post at the end of this recipe.

Roll dough in the form of balls and set them in the baking tray.

Keep some distance between the pavs.

Cover them with a wet towel and set it in a warm place for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Lift the wet towel to see them doubled in size. Preheat oven at 400 degree F.

If they are not doubled - let them rise for another 30 minutes.

They will stick to each other - no worries.

Pavs will have some pockets of bubbles on top.

Brush pavs with milk and...

Bake them in warm oven for 10 -15 minutes or until light brown from the top.

It took me 12 minutes to lightly brown the pavs and 2 minutes on BROIL - was closely monitored.

The top will be hard but still soft when pressed down.

Apply butter to the freshly baked pavs and it will soften the top.

Beautifully baked pavs are ready.

Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen up the pavs. Run the knife couple of times and make sure no sides is attached to the baking pan.

This way the pav will toss right out of the baking pan.

Because of butter they will look all shiny and smell so great.

Back side of baked pav. Let the bottom side dry out completely. If allowed to sit too long in the baking tray they will turn moist and remain wet at the base due to heat condensation.

Press on pavs..

And they will sprung right back into it's shape.

They will separate easily.

See how airy and fluffy they are.

Once you start making this recipe at home you will stop buying market buns - easiest and tastiest bun recipe ever!!

These pavs will melt in your mouth and believe me they won't last long around the dinner table!

Read below for all the queries related to this post.

Inside of pavs.

Homemade pavs are ready. Enjoy them with pakodas or batata vadas.

Using the same recipe you can make homemade buns - baking time will vary 18-20 minutes. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds.

A close up look of the inside of the bun..

Kid-friendly recipe. 🙂

PAV WITHOUT OVEN

Add sand at the bottom of a pan or pressure cooker.

Place a strainer over the sand.

Place pavs over the strainer...

Cover it with the lid. Maintain the heat - it should be medium. If using a pressure cooker, then remove the rubber gasket from the lid and close the cooker.

After 10 minutes- pavs will look like this. Do not remove the lid.

Another 10 minutes into cooking..

After 30 minutes of total cooking - well cooked pavs. Cooking time may vary.

Carefully remove them from the pan.

Let it cool down completely.

Brush with melted butter and..

Enjoy!! Beautifully crusted at the bottom and soft and velvety at the top.

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QUESTIONS AND QUERIES RELATED TO THIS RECIPE-

1.What kind of yeast you use?

I have used dry active yeast for this recipe. If using Instant yeast - that needs to be added to the recipe directly. No proofing required.

2. What baking tray to be used for baking pavs?

Any oven resistant dish or baking tray is good for baking pavs. You can use glass, baking trays and foil trays.

3. On which rack should I keep my baking tray?

Tray should be kept at the middle rack for brown pavs.

4. Pavs turned hard and no brown color on top?

For softer pavs - Preheat oven for 15- 20 minutes before placing pavs. Bake them for 10-12 minutes. If pavs are not brown in the given time frame, place them closer to the heating element or BROIL for FEW SECONDS until the top browns up and remove them immediately. Overcooking will result in hard pavs.

Once pav bread is out of the oven, remove the pav from the baking tray and allow them to cool down on a wire rack. If allowed to sit too long in the baking tray they will turn moist and remain wet at the base due to heat condensation.

6. What is yeat proofing?

After mixing milk, sugar and yeast together let it sit for a while. In 5-10 minutes it will look like a thick creamy paste and in another 5 -10 minutes it will be all frothy and bubbly (frothing may take longer for some maybe 20 - 30 minutes). This proofing procedure shows that yeast is alive and active. If after 30 minutes yeast is not bubbly or frothy please discard it and use a fresh packet. Do not continue with the recipe.

I made the pav 4 times. I am in canada and its cold. There is a lack of warmth. The pavs were made perfectly the 4th time. Microwave the milk before mixing it with the flour, to activate yeast warm the oven for 2 mins switch it off keep yeast in it, mix the dough knead and keep it in the oven to rise, warm oven for 2 mins switch off and divide the dough and keep it. They become as good as she shows them here

Do you have a broil option (a temp of 500 degree F or 260-290 degree C)? Then broil the pavs for 3-4 minutes.
Please do not leave them unattended as they will burn if not watched.
Broil until you get the desired color. Remove immediately. Brush with butter and enjoy!!

Dear Ruchi, thanks for the detailed recipe especially the broiling hint. I have made the recipe twice but both times, the pav tasted more like biscuits (American biscuits that you eat with gravy) than pav. The second time, I actually used 2 cups ap flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour. The first time I had used 3 cups ap flour. I used milk both times for kneading. I do bake bread from scratch so conversant with doubling the dough, yeast proofing etc. But I can’t figure out why I am getting biscuits instead of pav! I took a picture but don’t see where to upload it.

Nidhi, thanks for sharing your experience with me. Possible reason for dense pav –1. did you use fresh yeast and did it activate?2. After the first rise, was the dough kneaded well? Pavs will turn dense if this step was missed. Dough elasticity and gluten formation is enhanced by kneading.
Hope this answers your query.
Please do give it a try again, as it’s important for me that you enjoy the pavs the same way as I do and many others who have successfully made it. You can share pics with me at [email protected] Thanks!

Thanks for trying the recipe Divya.Reason for yeast smelling pavs – A much warmer temperature or longer rising time can cause that. If the dough was allowed to rise for longer period of time then it will produce a yeasty smell. Make sure the dough rise time is exactly what is mentioned in the recipe.

I made these tonight and they turned out a treat! Looked exactly like yours! I used skim milk instead of water to knead the dough and sprinkled some kalonji seeds on top. Also used an eggwash to give them a nice golden shine. Will definitely be making them again.

Followed your recipe step by step. The result was awesome 👌
Bread was super soft and yummy.
It was awesome awesome awesome….can’t stop raving about it. Couldn’t stop eating.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Thanks for the recipe. I want to try it out. By the way what is the meaning of the Marati Word “Laadi”?
I love Laadi Pav all the time. When I studied in Elphinestone College in Bombay Vada Pav was my staple food.

I have a bread machine that prepares dough for me. Is it necessary to mix the yeast with wet ingredients and add to the flour? Because my bread machine has a yeast dispenser. Would the result be same like kneading the dough manually?

This recipe uses active dry yeast and that needs to be activated with wet ingredients. Knead the dough by hand or a machine result will be the same. Just follow the basic steps – activation of yeast, first and second proofing times and you should be good.

Hey followed ur recipe . The pav seemed okay when I took it out. Turned and kept it to cool. However when I ate it seemed very dense and soggy. I kept it for 14 min at 170°, then after brushing again 2 min at 180°. Lastly a high of 200 for 2 mins.
The base is not as brown as ur. Can’t upload here
What could be the problem.

Thanks for trying the recipe Priyadarshini. Your questions are answered below.Turned and kept it to cool. Turned as in – did you turned the pavs upside down to cool? That’s the reason pav became soggy. For next time cool them on a wire rack.The base is not as brown as ur. These pavs are baked at 200 degree C, you baked at 170 degree C that’s the reason they didn’t turn brown and resulted dense in texture.
Hope that helps!

Hi Ruchi ,thanks for the wonderful recipe. Just one query, what should be the amount of yeast if I use instant yeast,same?and also if I use instant yeast the water or milk used for proofing the yeast is supposed to be added to the dough right?

Mam hope u doing all well.
i m trying this paw today.
i wana ask the measuremnt of milk is given, is it we have u utilize full or upto the dough becomes smooth? My milk was left a little…… so please can you help me out….
how to knw tat the dough is perfect in first step.
my dough wen i put my finger it came out non sticky as ourz.

Hi,thanks for ur recipe.I used 50:50whole wheat n apf,cooked for 13mins and broiled for 2 mins.When tit just started to brown took out, but while tasting slightly flour taste was there,guess under cooked.can u place tell me how did u decide pav is completely baked?

Yes, they were uncooked. Probably your oven temperature is too high. I would suggest lower your oven temp by 25 degrees and bake a little longer. I hope you give this recipe a try again and share your feedback with me.

No the skewer test doesn’t work on breads.
Press the top (pav) gently down, if it sprung backs up then pavs are completely cooked, if it sinks than it needs more baking time in the oven. The top will feel crusty and hard when fresh out of the oven, brush with butter to moisten.

This is one of the best dinner roll recipe I have tried. Have tried it many times and still a winner. You step by step photography is bang on. Today I made with pizza seasonings and it turned out pretty well. Thanks for sharing.

Hi There,
I tried your recipe yesterday, it came out well. At the start it was soft, but after some time it became hard (Not as yours). Followed step by step instructions and ensured, I don’t bake for a longer time.

Hi Ruchi, thanks for the fabulous recipe. It worked very well and I made travel with the pavs which was a hit with all!
Although pavs were soft and good texture , still they did not rise as much as yours and not fluffy although it was considerable. Please let me know whether it could be due to baking powder being old? Any other reason?

Thanks for your lovely feedback Namita.
Yes stale baking soda could be the culprit.
Also wanted to check –
1. did the yeast activate like the one shown in the picture?
2. Did the dough double up during its first and second resting period?

Excellent recipe. Followed to the “T”. It worked for the first time ever!! The trick is to ensure that the yeast is active (if not frothy, dont use it as per instructions). Also do not forget baking powder. Use measuring cups to measure exactly as per instructions. Great recipe Ruchi!! Thank you.

I tried this pav recipe.Since I live in us the dough fermentation takes a lot of time and the dough did not double up.I kept them.closed with a warm cloth in my drier room as it is pretty hot and then baked them and it was hard not very hard but little bit. Can you please tell me where I went wrong.

Chandini, did the yeast get frothy and bubbly as shown in the pic? If yes,then the possible reason for hard pavs is fermentation.
I would suggest keeping the dough in a warm oven for fermentation. For that heat the oven @200 degree F for 5 minutes and then turn the oven off. Place the dough in this warm oven to rise. This will solve the fermentation issue for you. Thanks!

Your metric measurements for the yeast are off … after a failed batch I tried using the other measurements but realized it’s totally off
1 packet or 11 grams Active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoon)
I packet is usually 7gms
4 teaspoon or 20 ml Water (20ml is 5 tsp)
3 teaspoon or 15 ml Milk (15ml is 4 tsp)
2-1/2 teaspoon or 32 grams Sugar (2.5tsp is 12gms)

Am trying another batch using the alternate measurements hoping it will work out. Am surprised no one saw this difference.
Read such good reviews so wanted to give it a go but am stuck on step 1!

Neha,
Measurements differ from country to country. A teaspoon in all countries = 5 ml. However, in UK and Canada measurements are different.
UK 1 teaspoon = 5.9194 ml
Canadian 1 teaspoon = 4.736 ml
Therefore the measurements of milk and water is correct and that is what I have used. 4 teaspoon = 19.7 ml and I have used 20 ml. Likewise 3 teaspoon – 14.7 ml (rounded to 15 ml).

Other typos I have fixed –

1 packet or 2-1/4 teaspoon of yeast = 11 ml and yes that is 7 grams. That why I try to provide other equivalents where possible.
Feel free to email me if you have any other questions. 🙂

Today was the first time I attempted to bake any kind of bread and found this recipe.. I love it…followed the recipe to the T and am very happy with the result. I would have loved the top to be more browned but will do it for my next batch.. thank you for sharing this recipe.. looking forward to try more of your recipes .. Radhika have attached the image.

Thank you so much Radhika for your wonderful feedback. I am glad it turned out well for you.
For a dark brown top, broil pavs for seconds. Broiling will add a beautiful color.
You can share your yummy pictures with me at [email protected]

Ruchi I like your recipes. I have tried most of them and all a hit. I made your pavs 2 days in a row, my first batch was gone on minutes. Made the second one today, both came out perfect like market ones. Total yumm-o. never buying the market ones again.

Hi Ruchi, I have tried a lot of your recipes as my son is a vegan and I like the way you present them. I tried the ladi – pavs and they came out very well. I want to know if you have a recipe for Brun pav..which you get in the bakeries in Mumbai. My husband is very fond of them.

Hi ruchi i just tried ua pav recipe they have turned out so soft.i habent yet tasted them i hope they arent underbaked from the middle as i dint know d correct temp in celcius.they became brown from top very fast probably under 10mins i had kept on 180 degrèes celcius. Can you give me the temp in celcius to get the light colour u got

Pavs are baked @400 degree F (200 degree C). To prevent dark colored pavs, place them at the bottom rack and bake. It looks like your oven temperature is very hot. Lower the temperature to 180 degree C and bake for 10-15 minutes. Hope that helps!

Thank you so much for the recipe. The payment turned out nice and soft. My mistake was that I baked half of them in the micro on connvection. They didn’t brown. The next batch is in the oven. Hopefully they will brown. You have not mentioned the temperature. Could you help with that? TIA

Hi Ruchi. I’m leaving in the US and i find your bread recipe very interesting. Will try making this today. Though i just have one question, is if ok to use a stand mixer in kneading the dough instead of kneading by hand?

This recipe is the best recipe ever! I tried your recipe step by step and the buns came out great! I made the buns with 100% wheat flour instead of maida and added little more sugar than mentioned to make sweet buns and the buns came out as good as shown in the photos above. Thanks a lot for posting this recipe. In love with your blog 😊😊😊

Hi ruchi, excellent is not the word. Perfect pav made at home. Your detailed post has helped us a lot. This is recipe is a for keep. Have a question. If I want to double the amount. Should I double all the ingredients including yeast. Thanks for your reply. And yes the pav were as soft as the market ones.
Regards and take care.

Thanks for your lovely feedback Marina. Glad to hear that you liked the recipe.
Yes, you would have to double all the ingredients.
Please use the “Change Serving Size” at the bottom of the ingredient list and it will adjust/calculate the ingredients for you. Happy Baking!!

1. Let the dough rise through it’s first step. (as stated in the recipe).
2. After the first rise, knead, punch and shape the dough like pavs.
3. Place the shaped dough into a greased baking tray, seal it with plastic wrap (prevent sticking) and freeze.
4. Such elaborate step is done to make sure the dough retains its shape during freezing.
5. When ready to bake,thaw the dough in the refrigerator over night and then give the dough sufficient time to fully rise again (it’s second rise).
6. Bake and enjoy!!

Sorry to hear about that Gargi. Cooking pavs on high heat will cause them to burn. Maintain the heat – it should be medium. Bake them for 30-40 minutes.
In microwave convention mode bake the pav @200 degree C for 18-20 minutes.

Tried these pav and burger buns and it turned out very soft and delicious. Ruchi thankyou so much for sharing this recipe step by step. The result was so perfect as your’s . You made this recipe so easy for us to make. Keep up the good work.

Hi RK,
Made the Pav this morning wow they turned out so fluffy & light. Followed the recipe exactly, but it was sticky, guess it depends on the flour, I left a little milk out while the dough was mixing in my machine. (The yeast milk water took nearly an hour to froth but then I was determined to make it). All the other steps were as per your instructions, very methodical 🙂 . I weighed each piece into 42gms & which made 18 Pavs. Secondly I have a FAN OVEN so I baked mine @190C for 12mins 😉 no need to broil & I sprinkled some samolina on the baking try to make sure that if there was any moisture, it would absorb it. The Pav was nicely brown on top & slightly brown @ the bottom. I will never buy any soft rolls from the supermarket will be making this all the time. Once the Pav was ready, I ate 4 straight away LOL. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS RECIPE.

So sorry to hear that the recipe didn’t turn out the way you had expected.
1. Active dry yeast do smell like a sour milk but it has a bit of sweetness. If it had a really bad smell than I would suggest discard and start with a fresh pack.
2. Was the dough allowed to rise for an extended period of time? If so, the sour smell is because of fermentation. A much warmer temperature or longer rising time can make a bread taste sour.
3. After the first rise, was the dough kneaded well? Pavs will turn dense if this step was missed. Dough elasticity and gluten formation is enhanced by kneading.
Hope this answers your query.
Please do give it a try again, as it’s important for me that you enjoy the pavs the same way as I do and many others who have successfully made it.Thanks!

Hi! I tried your recipe twice with the exact measures you’ve mentioned and both times i got an amazing 1st rise (thrice the original size of dough) but an extremely disappointing 2nd rise.. In fact once i knead the dough after the first rise the dough STAYS as it is and doesn’t rise again at all.. Its quite frustrating.. so what happens if i just make pavs with the first rise?

Cindy, I’m sorry to hear that your dough did not turn out the way you had imagined. If you got the perfect first rise, that indicates the yeast activated quite well. Try keeping the dough in a warm oven for the second rise. Baking with the first rise will result into dense pavs.

Please share your feedback as it’s important for me that you enjoy the pavs the same way as I do and many others who have successfully made it.

Yes you can make the dough in advance. Freeze the dough. Follow the steps below –

1. Let the dough rise through it’s first step. (as stated in the recipe).
2. After the first rise, knead, punch and shape the dough like pavs.
3. Place the shaped dough into a greased baking tray, seal it with plastic wrap (prevent sticking) and freeze.
4. Such elaborate step is done to make sure the dough retains its shape during freezing.
5. When ready to bake,thaw the dough in the refrigerator over night and then give the dough sufficient time to fully rise again (it’s second rise).
6. Bake and enjoy!!

Hi ruchi ji,
I tried this recipe today, and to my surprise it came out well, can’t believe, I’m very excited and very thankful to you. I have tried many recipes before but never get such amazing result. It’s such a simple and great recipe and an absolute keeper. Thanks a lot. May god bless you each day.

Hi, I have tried your racipe 3 times. . I used half wheat flour and half maida. Upto baking stage everything goes well. Pav looks perfect as per your photos. But they didn’t rise after baking. Turns little hard and dense. What would be the reason?

Deepa, sorry to hear that this recipe didn’t work for you. First of all combining the flours is not a good idea, both the flours have different properties. Wheat flour makes the pavs much denser and a lot heavier than those made with all-purpose flour. I have a wheat pav recipe on the blog, please follow that. http://www.ruchiskitchen.com/recipe/wheat-ladi-pav-recipe/

Reason for dense and hard pavs-
1. Overcooking will result in hard pavs. Do not bake them for more than 10 – 15 minutes. Also, keeping them too close to the heating element will result in hard top, as high temperatures lead to crusty pavs.
2. If the yeast was not proofed well (frothy and bubbly), pavs will turn dense in texture.

Hi Ruchi, Thanks for this wonderful and very detailed recipe 🙂 I made it yesterday and these were the problems i faced.
1) The dough was very sticky throughout the process. (did i put too much milk while kneading).
2) The Pav turned out little salty. I used exact measurement of salt u suggested. I used salted butter though.
3) The Pav turned out to be little dense and crumbly.
If u could tell me my mistakes… it would be great!!! Thank you 🙂

Sorry to hear that this recipe didn’t work for you. Since this is one of my most promising recipes, let’s see what went wrong here.

1) The dough was very sticky throughout the process. (did i put too much milk while kneading). Adding too much milk or water will result in a sticky dough. Solution – Add extra dough (1 teaspoon at a time) and that will take care of this issue.
2) The Pav turned out little salty. I used exact measurement of salt u suggested. I used salted butter though. Since you have substituted unsalted butter with salted one, salt quantity should have been 1 teaspoon.
3) The Pav turned out to be little dense and crumbly. If the yeast was not proofed well (frothy and bubbly), pavs will turn dense in texture.
Hope this answers your query. Once again, thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your experience with me. 🙂

Hi ruchi…this recipe is sooooo awesome..u have explained everything in so much detail…I have baked perfect pavs in first go.. .thank u soo much…I have one question..if I take whole wheat flour instead of maida…will there b any change in recipe? And will it b soft and fluffy?

Thanks ruchi for this amazing recipe. Your step by step detailed information helped me enormously. My pav came out exactly like you. There are other websites that don’t give you such detailed information. This small measurements and tips helps us to make our recipe work.

Pleasure is all mine, Smita. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time out to share your experience with me! Glad you liked the pav recipe. If you happened to click some pics then share with me at https://www.facebook.com/ruchiskitchen/

I am simply awed at the wonderful recipes you try and present through your pictures. This one is killer one. So many pics to make a layemen get through easily. Always look forward to your posts they are refreshing and absolutely lovely. Thank you so much and love all your shares and recipes…

I made your pav recipe yesterday and again making it tonight. Everyone loved it.

Hi, My dough turned out just the way you described. But still my Pav was slightly dense & dry. What could be the reason? I used 1 packet of Active dry yeast, which measured 2 1/4 tsp, but the packet said 7 gms & not 11 gms. Please advice.

Thanks for trying the recipe Shakuntala and sharing your feedback with me. There are couple of reasons for dense pav –
1. Dough didn’t get sufficient time to rise.
2. If the yeast was not proofed well (frothy and bubbly), pavs will turn dense in texture.
3. The dough was not well-kneaded. As shown in step 11, the dough should be well kneaded.
Hope this answers your query. Do give it a try again and make sure you use fresh yeast and it is proofed well.

The pav that I made turned out amazing. They do not look as professional like the ones you made. However, they look mouth watering and are so soft that literally melts in mouth. Thank you so much. This was my first time making pav (of any kind). This success is very motivating, thanks to you.

Hi RK, Great website,very well explained. I just made the pav. Somehow its to soft, if i press it between my 2 fingers it almost turns into dough. Did i mabey use too much yeast? Also how wud I get round buns for hamburgers? Thnx

Hello Ruchi, my question is in case if I have to make only 6 pavs then I should take half the measurements of all ingredients and so does the dough rising time varies or I should wait for time as u have mentioned?

i tried the whole receipe everything was performed exactly as you showed in pictures but when i heated in my microwave(not convectional) it turned hard please comment on this because as it has turned very hard i have to throw it

Archana, the reason your pav turned out hard is because they were not baked. It is clearly mentioned in the recipe to bake the pav in an oven or in a microwave- in convection mode. You cannot bake a dough in a microwave, it will turn the dough into a brick. Microwave heats up all the water content (molecules) of the dough, and the end result is rock solid dough.

I would suggest, please bake it in a microwave or cook it over a cooktop. Method is shown in the recipe itself (towards the end).

Hello Ruchi… you have an amazing blog!!! I have gotten back to baking after a very long time.. there is a Pav Bhaji party this weekend and I’d like to surprise my friends by making the pav myself…. your recipe is very detailed and very helpful… appreciate the effort… I have a convection microwave and want to use it for baking … I need to make about 25 pav portions… so the baking will have to be done in about 2 -3 batches… can i prepare the dough all at once… or should i also repeat the process for each baking batch? TIA

Thanks for your kind words Shreya! I would suggest prepare the dough in advance and let it have its first rise. Knead and divide the dough. Shape pavs for the first batch, let it rest for second rise and then bake. While the first batch is baking, knead the dough for the second batch and let it rise and bake and so on….

If you chose to make the dough all at once, while the first batch is baking the other batches will rise beautifully and triple in size resulting in extra fluffy pavs. 🙂 Hope that helps! Have fun and enjoy!! If possible share some pics at [email protected]

I add this today and the recipe was excellent. My pav came out really well. The only negative point was that it tasted salty. I followed your recipe exactly as you mentioned, so I’m unsure why it turned out like that. I plan to bake another batch tomorrow. Not sure if I make an error while measuring salt.

Thanks for trying the recipe, glad you liked it. Pavs/buns do have a slight yeast smell. Too much of a yeast smell is – If the dough is allowed to rise for longer period of time it will produce a yeasty smell. Make sure the dough rise time is exactly what is mentioned in the recipe.

Thanks for stopping by Neha. If prepared in the morning, pavs will stay fresh till the evening. Have not tried storing them as they never last that long. 😉 I would suggest, once they have cooled completely, pack them in zipper bags, squeeze all the air out from the ziploc bags and store in the refrigerator.

3 cups all purpose flour, 24 floz, equals 375 grams all purpose flour… But if I change from US to Metric on your website, it says 700 something grams… Quite a difference. What is the right amount of flour to use?

Your detailed recepie made me REALLY MAD… its awesome recepies of PAV AND BUNS.. I must never ever seen or heard such detailed receipe. .. god bless you ruchi… its made me tempting to make it at home now. . I will try and I will follow your all recepies from niw onwards. . Once again THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
have a great day ahead…
Anjum

Hi Ruchi, Tries this recipe y’day and as per 1st attempt, it came out really well. Look and taste was awesome , only thing it was dense in texture. I used Active Dry yeast and after both the stages dough rise was extremely well. Also, intially when I kept it in oven for 10-12 min (preheated oven), I found that the pav was still bit doughy in texture (raw sort of). I again baked it for 10 mins which made the top crust bit hard .
Can you suggest here something so that I can check those things in my next attempt.

Thanks for trying the recipe, Ety and sharing your feedback with me. There are couple of reasons for dense pav –
1. If the yeast was not proofed well (frothy and bubbly), pavs will turn dense in texture.
2. The dough was not well-kneaded. As shown in step 11, the dough should be well kneaded.
Hope this answers your query!!

Hi Ruchi.. I tried ur recipe today. It kneaded the dough well. And also gave almost 2 hrs to rise. But the pav were little dense and hard. I want to try next tym but how it will come perfect. Thanx in advance.

Sorry to hear about that. Let’s look into details and help you here.
1. Yes 11 gms of yeast is correct though my recipe uses 1 packet of yeast that is 2.25 teaspoon = 11.25 grams.
2. 1 tablespoon equals to 14.79 ml. Use this tablespoon measurement for baking.
3. 1 teaspoon equals to 4.93 ml.
4. I have used Dry active yeast in the recipe. Dry active yeast needs to be mixed with water, sugar and milk in order to become frothy and bubbly. From what I understand you are using Instant yeast – Instant yeast is always added directly to the flour.
5. Dough should be soft and smooth.
6. If the dough is allowed to rise for longer period of time it produces that yeasty smell. Make sure the dough rise time is exactly what is mentioned in the recipe.

Hope that answers your query. Feel free to email me if you have any more questions!!

No worries Gauri, feel free to contact me – I am here to help and make my recipes a successful one for you. 🙂

– Point#2 – 14.79 ml tp I must use for baking powder and butter oil – use 14.79 ml measurement wherever the recipe calls for TABLESPOON.
– Point#3 – 4.93ml tp I must use for yeast preparation – yes, this is correct, use this measurement wherever the recipe calls for TEASPOON.
– 1 cup is 236 ml.
– You can used instant yeast. Skip the steps 2-6 where it says proof the yeast. Combine everything as mentioned in step 7 (add instant yeast directly to the dough) and knead the dough.
– Yes, oven needs to be preheated for 10 – 15 minutes before placing pav in it.
Hope this helps!!

2. 1 cup of any liquid measurement is 236 – 240 ml. If you were referring to flour measurements than that too is measured in grams. The above chart will clear things out for you. 1 cup of all purpose flour measures 125 grams. So for this recipe you will use 405 grams of flour. Hope that helps.

Thanks for trying the recipe Kunjal. There are couple of reasons for this –
1. Dough didn’t get sufficient time to rise.
2. If the yeast was not proofed well (frothy and bubbly), pavs will turn dense in texture.
3. The dough was not well-kneaded. As shown in step 11, the dough should be well kneaded.
Hope that answers your query. Do give it a try again and make sure you use fresh yeast and it is proofed well.

Vidhi, yeast will become bubbly and frothy in 15-20 minutes. If after 30 minutes, it’s not bubbly then maybe the yeast is not fresh. Please throw it away and use a fresh batch of active dry yeast. Difference between the two – active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water/milk before adding it to a recipe while instant dry yeast can be mixed right into the dough. Hope that answers your query. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions. 🙂

Hi Ruchi, loved ur blog!! I wanted to ask you if I can knead the dough for Pav in any other way? As I want to make 50pcs and more of Pav together. It is very difficult to do it by hands. And also how can I store the dough ? So that I can bake it the other day or as when required. Thanks 🙂

Thanks Ami and welcome to the blog!! Here are the answers to your queries –
1. Kneading the dough for 50 pavs by hand, can be exhausting. If you have a food processor or standing mixer than use that to knead the dough. The other way would be to knead it in batches.
2. I am afraid that freezing the dough before baking will kill most of the yeast action and during baking yeast will be inactive and pav will not rise. Other way would be to bake the pav, remove them from the baking tray, line a airtight container with wax paper and store the baked pavs in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Hope that helps!!

Thanks for stopping by EL. Yes, you are correct, we can freeze the bread dough. I recently experimented with this recipe and learned that we can freeze the unbaked bread dough and it will revive again.In my personal experience, the only thing that to remember is to follow certain guidelines for it to rise properly again.
1. Let the dough rise through it’s first step. (as stated in the recipe).
2. After the first rise, knead, punch and shape the dough. If making pav, shape like small buns. If making bread shape like loaves.
3. Place the shaped dough into a greased baking tray, seal it with plastic wrap (prevent sticking) and freeze.
4. Such elaborate step is done to make sure the dough retains its shape during freezing.
5. When ready to bake,thaw the dough in the refrigerator over night and then give the dough sufficient time to fully rise again (it’s second rise).
6. Bake and enjoy!!
Thanks for pointing that out. 🙂

Hi ruchi superb ur patience abt replying àll.
I was considering that u explain me what if i make dough in nite and bake them in morning fresh for brkfast. I m very new nto bread baking. So did not undersatnd thawing stuff.
Just simply tell me as how shud i keep my dough overnight to bake them next day??

Thanks for stopping by Binny! Yes, you can refrigerate the dough overnight. Follow these steps –
1.Lightly brush the dough with oil and store in large Ziploc bags (give the dough some room to rise).
2. Refrigeration will slow down the yeast action, but for the first few hours, yeast will be active and dough may show some sign of rising in the refrigerator, no worries just press it down. Once the dough is cooled, you will be good.
3. When ready to bake, knead the dough again, shape and allow it to rise again. The second rise will take longer for the refrigerated dough because it is not at the room temperature. 4. Once you see the rise in the shaped dough, bake as stated in the recipe.
Happy Baking! 🙂

This is my second time trying your recipe and this time too it turns nice. I see you have added a Q&A section, thanks for doing that. Making pavs at home is my new hobby now. Have bookmarked your site and follow your step by step guidance.

Yes, yeast needs to be frothy and bubbly before adding it to the dough. I have mentioned this part clearly in my post but missed adding the same to the recipe. Thanks for pointing that out to me Nit, correction done.

Wonderful recipe. I am ecstatic after seeing my baked ladi pavs. We get pavs in our area but they have egg and many other unwanted stuff in it. Feeling delightful after making my own paavs. They smell and feel like store bought ones. Thanks Ruchi. One last thing I would add is I had to keep paavs close to the heating rod to get color just like store bought pavs. Next I am looking forward to make homemade buns with your pav recipe.

Followed your recipe and made a huge batch (2 trays) of pavs. They came out so well. Spongy and light. Thanks a ton! Ruchi I have tried many of your recipes and I have to say that they are a keeper. All of them turned out great except the salt part.

Mouneshwari, oven temperatures vary. Also if they are not brown in the given time frame, I would suggest placing them close to the heating element for FEW SECONDS until the top browns up and remove them immediately.Do not bake them for more than 10 – 15 minutes or they will become firm and hard.

I have tried couple of times but I am not successful in making pav. my pavs are becoming hard and not getting color on top of it. I am not knowing where I am getting wrong. I have a confusion whether oven should be pre heated to 400 c or 200 c and it should be switch off before placing the pavs in oven? please advise me.

Mouneshwari, oven temperature as stated in the recipe should be at 400 degree F i.e. 200 degree C. Oven needs to stay on during baking period. Pavs are to be baked at 400 degree F for 10 – 15 minutes. Baking pav for long will result in hard pavs. Like I have done with the burger I made at the last. I baked this one for 18 – 20 minutes and the outer crust is hard and dark brown and inner layer is soft but not as fluffy like pavs. Hope I have answered all your questions. Feel free to contact me if you have any other queries.

Hi… I tried yesterday step by step… Pavs turned out good but not as soft as shown in your pics description…
I used Eno instead of Baking Powder and kneaded flour with water only… Will this may be the reason for pavs not turning out as shown in your pics…
Help

Can’t believe this I made these pavs. Ruchi they are so fluffy and light. Can’t wait to surprise my family tonight with homemade pavs. Thank you so much. Will surely try the wheat ones too. So loving it.

Perfect rolls. Followed your recipe to the T and these pavs came out soft and fluffy. Thank you for a super easy recipe, soon will be trying out your wheat buns. For now I am all set for my vada pav recipe.

Hi Ruchi, for the first time I tried making this ladi pav recipe of yours yesterday to the T. All was good except that instead of soft pavs, it turned hard on the top too. Also the centre part wasn’t that soft feathery type like yours.
Would you know the reason where I went wrong with this recipe.

Feel so bad about that. I would like to check few things with you.
1. Was the oven preheated to 400 degree F? And what oven rack did you place your pavs? Keeping them too close to the heating rods will result in hard top, as high temperatures lead to crusty pavs. Also baking them for a longer time will make them hard.
2. Did the dough doubled in size when kept for the first time?
3. After shaping the pavs, were they allowed to sit covered for 30 minutes? As this second rise is essential and results in softer pavs.

Please do give them a try again as I have personally made these pavs many times, without fail. Feel free to message me with your questions.

1. Yes I pre-heated the oven to 200 C. I placed the pavs in the middle rack.
2. Yes the dough doubled in size at both the proofings.
3. Yes after shaping the pavs I kept them for 2nd proofing for almost 1 hour. And it did rise in the 2nd proofing too.

You’ve mentioned to bake for 10-15 mins or until the top is lightly brown. But after 15 mins I noticed it still didn’t turn light brown too inspite of pre-heating for 10 mins.
So I kept it for another 15-20 mins until the top got browned. Then I guess it was too hard by then,
I felt this might be the reason for becoming hard 🙁

That is the ONLY reason why they turned hard. If you scroll down to the end of the recipe, you will find that I made buns with the same batch. They were perfectly browned and hard from top,soft from inside but not airy and light like pavs. Reason being that I kept them for longer time (18-20 minutes).
Give them a try again and I would suggest preheating oven for 15- 20 minutes before placing them in the hot oven. Also if they are not brown in the given time frame, place them close to the heating element for FEW SECONDS until the top browns up and remove them immediately. Hope that helps.

Hi Ruchi,
You don’t have pav bhaji post on your blog?
I would love to see your way of making bhaji….tried onion tomato masala for freeze and later use. Used in rajma later…not only it reduced loads of work but tasted great..

Yum and delicious. Your recipes end up with great results. I tried this and was jumping in joy when they were puffing up. They smell so great and taste yummy. Thanks for sharing Ruchi. Pictures speak for themselves and I was so tempted to try this one.

Wow Ruchi! Great recipe.My paavs were super soft and very very tasty. Please post your version of pav bhaji recipe. Would love to try that one out with your paavs. I am so happy, for the first time I baked a bread and that too so perfectly done. Thanks dear!

Had visited this recipe couple of times and finally I made it last weekend. AMAZING results! So fluffy and bouncy, better than the market bought pavs.No more market ones which has a peculiar smell in them, homemade is the best. My kids took it to school the next day.All thanks to you. Have saved this recipe and will be making it again and again.

Tried many pav recipe but every time my recipe was not to good. sometimes the crust was hard, sometimes they were under cooked. Your pictures gave me hope and I tried it once again and they were just perfect. So soft and spongy. Very very impressed. I feel like I have conquered a fort. Thanks so much Ruchi. Your recipes are amazing and something very very different.

I just love all your recipes, they are clear and easy to follow. Awesome work done by you. I tried many of ur recipes and they turned out really good, all credits to you. Your pav buns are a hit in my house. I have made them many times and always a success. Never knew could make pav buns at home and the leftovers are used as burgers or eaten just like that. I get lot of appreciation on my cooking nowadays, all thanks to you.Bless you!

Superb recipe!! My pavs were better than market ones and had no after smell. They were so moist and fluffy that we ate it next day by applying butter. My place is known for breads but your pavs made me look like a professional cook. Thanks!

Hi Ruchi , I want your advice. I read your recipe of pavs after I made the dough for pavs with dry yeast only. Can I add baking powder now. I made the dough of five cups. If yes how much baking powder I should add to it. Please advice

Hey, Nice pictures and well explained. I tried the buns and they turned out pretty well. Agree with the above comment never heard of baking powder along with yeast in breads. But anyway great combo and my buns were super crisp. Definitely a keeper recipe. I can’t find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.

Thanks for stopping by Jess! Glad you liked them. Yes it’s a little bakery secret, they use yeast and baking powder combo most of the time as baking powder adds that extra texture to the baked breads!!